Centre makes waste segregation compulsory

TNN | Dec 8, 2015, 07.00 AM IST

AHMEDABAD: Waste segregation will now be compulsory when leaving doorsteps. The Union ministry of environment and forest (MOEF) has decided to make it compulsory for waste generators to segregate waste produced by them.In its draft solid waste management rules, the MOEF has state that state governments will form their own waste management policies for state-level implementation.
The ministry has also banned littering and open burning of solid waste in dumpyards under its jurisdiction.The ban is to be implemented within six months.

The ministry has fixed deadlines for implementing the guidelines. Cities which have more than 10 lakh population will have to implement the guidelines within 18 months, while those with populations between five lakh and 10 lakh will get two years' time.

The new rules state that every waste generator will be required to pay user fees, as may be prescribed by the urban local body from time to time, to the waste collector or any person authorized by the urban local body .

The MOEF stated that the secretary­in-charge, urban development department, in states or Union Territory, commissioner or director of municipal administration or direc tor of local bodies, district collector or deputy commissioner of district in state or Union Territory , members of Central and state pollution control bo ard, and members of local ur ban bodies will be members of the monitoring body for implementation of the guide lines. The rules further state that segregated solid waste collected from the doorstep has to be transported directly to respective waste proces sing facilities and the same shall not be segregated at any other place. The MOEF said that all the old and open dumpsites and existing ope rational dumpsites shall be carefully investigated and analyzed for their potential of bio-mining and bio-remediation and actions should be taken wherever found feasible.

TIMES VIEW

The waste management crisis that stares at us today should be dealt with holistically. Though waste segregation at household level is being promoted by civic body, it will not take off unless there are incentives like tax rebates or price tag to waste. For this the civic body has to encourage robust recycling efforts and establish facilities that produce high-quality compost from organic waste.